Water-wheel bucket



Patented July 5, l.

entree FACTUBING COMPANY, or Wisconsin,

VJ'ARE.

A COBPUBATION 0F DELA- WATEB-WHEEL BUCKET.

Application filed. September This invent-ion relates generally to improvements in the construction of buckets for water wheels of the impulse type, that is, ofthe type in which one or more jets 0t water are delivered against successive bucle ets of an annular series attached to the pe riph'ery of a rotor.

An object of the invention is to provide an .impulse water wheel bucket which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

' It has heretofore been customary to form impulse water wheel buckets with laterally adjacent ovoid pockets, and to attach these pockets to a supporting disk or ring by means of one or more shanks. in wheels ot' relatively small diameter, it diliicult to secure sufficiently strong attachments for the individual buckets, because oi? the relatively small shanks, the size of which is lllltited by the number of buckets and by the di ameter of the supporting element. In wheels of this type operable under high heads, the buckets must be of suiiicient strength to resist the enormous pressures to which they are subjected during operation. Due to the relatively high speed of opera tion of wheels of this type, the buckets must be securely attached to the supporting element and such attachment should preferably consist of as few individual parts as possible, in order to avoid detachment oi the buckets. It is also preferable in the construe tion of impulse water Wheels, to have the successive buckets of identical construction so that they may be readily interchanged or replaced.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a relatively strong bucket structure provided with exceedingly simple means for attaching the same to a support. Buckets embodying the present invention may be readily utilized in wheels of relatively small diameter without danger 0t detachment of the buckets during the operation of the machine. In accordance with the present invention each bucket. is provided with a stiflening rib at the rear of. each of the ovoid pockets, and a single shank is employed to support the pockets from the supporting shaft. In order to enable utilization of the buckets in a wheel of small diameter without danger of detachment of the buckets, the buckets of the present invention are arranged in pairs having a coinalined openings in the ring 5 and flange 14, was. Serial No. 588,165.

men shank. The present invention also provides simple and eliicient means for relieving the buckets and the retaining bolts from centrifugal force. These and other advantages of the improved bucket will be apparent from the following description.

A clear conception of an embodiment of the invention and of the operation of a water wheel embodying buckets constructed in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 1s a tragmentaiy sectional view 0t an impulse water wheel. the section being taken in the plane of the buckets and of the driving jet.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary radial section through the wheel disclosed in Fig. 1, the

section being taken between two of the buckets having a common supporting shank.

The water wheel comprises generally a main supporting shaft 6 which may be disposed with its axis either horizontal or vertical, a flange 7 formed integral with the shaft 6, a bucket supporting ring 5 rigidly attached to the flange 7, and series of buckets 2 each comprising a pair of complementary ovoid pockets and supporting lugs or shanks a firmly attached to the supporting ring 5. The attachment of the ring to the flange 6 is eiiected by means 0t lin annular series of bolts 8 which extend through The adjacent bucketshanks l have radial.

abutting end faces and attachment ot the buckets to the ring 5 is effected by means of oppositely directed interlocking lateral projections 10, 9 formed on the ring and bucket shanks l respectively, and by means of bolts 11, 12 extending thro h alined openings in the ring 5 and lugs 4-. The bucket shanks t thus form a continuous disk having a continuous annular projection 9 surrounded by the lateral ring projection 10. .Vith this association of elements, the tastening bolts 11, 12 are entirely relieved from shearing action which may be induced by centrifugal force or inertia. '7

Each of the buckets :2 comprises a pair of complementary ovoid pockets each of which has a strengthening rib 3 formed integral. with and extending longitudinally along the rear of the pocket. The ovoid pockets and the strengthening ribs 3 at the rear thereof are formed integral with the supporting shank t, and the buckets are arranged in sets of two or more so that one supporting shank 1 is formed integral with each set of buckets. Each of the buckets 2 is further provided with a transverse stittening rib 1 connecting the stitiening ribs 3 and formed integral with the ovoid pocketsand with the ribs 3, the rib 13 also functioning to prevent over-speeding of the wheel.

During the operation of the water wheel, one or more jets ii of water ordinarily traveling at high velocity are delivered against the buckets in tangential directions as indicated in Fig. 1. The impact of the jets ll causes the water wheel to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 at relatively high speed and to impart rotation to the main shaft (3.

It will be obvious that the jets 1% directed against the buckets 2 at high velocity produce enormous impact. The enormous 't'orces thus produced are however eiiectively resisted by the provision of a stiffening rib 3 for each of the ovoid pocke s. by the turther provisionot the transv rib 13 connecting the stitiening ribs 3. and by the solid union of the shanks at with the ring The interlocking projections El, 10 of the sl anks 4, and ring 5 respectively. ellectively resist centrifugal forces induced by rotation of the wheel at high speed, and the bolts ll. 12 prevent relative lateral displacement of the projections 9, 10. It will be obvious that due to the actual contact of the successive bucket shanks at along radial end faces, the friction between the projections 9, 10 produced by centrifugal force, will effectively preve tendency toward circunitei" ential .uent of the buckets, there by entire ll. 12 from shearing recs d'hiie ti supporting shanks -l termed in sections. he supp rting ring 5 is formed in one piece and attached to a continuous annular flange T formed integral with the shaft 6, thereby providing a rigid union between the segmental bucket supporting shanks 4 and the shatt (3. It will also be obvious that by utilizing a single lug or shank -'l for two or more buckets 2. the available area for at tachmeut of the shanks 2 to the ring 5 is increased to a maximum without necessitating replacement of a great number of buckets in case one of the buckets breaks. By attaching the shanks l to one side of a single supporting ring 5 only the buckets 2 may be quickly attached or removed. The entire structure is or exceedingly simple construction and provider; a aier wheel capable of effectively resisting the various forces to which it may be subjected during normal operation.

It should be understood that it. is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and of operation herein shown and described, for various nu idifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A. water wheel com rising, a pair of ovoid pockets a strengthening rib formed integral with the rear of each of said po kets a single shank formed integral with said pockets and with said ribs, said shank having a lateral projection provided with a surface extending perpendicular to said shank and 'l'acing said pockets, av continuous supporting ring having an oppositely extending projection provided with a surtace extending perpeiu'licular to said shank and engageable with said shank surface, and means for clamping said shank to said ring at opposite sides of said surfaces.

2. A water wheel comprising. a pair of integrally united buckets each having a pair ot ovoid pockets, a strengthening rib formed integral with the rear of each of said pockets, a single shank common to both of said buckets and formed integral with said pockts and with said ribs, said shank having a lateral projection provided with a sin-taco extending perpendicular to said shank and Facing said pockets, a continuous supporting ring having an oppositely extending projection provided with a surface extending perpendicular to said shank and engagable w'th said shank surface. and means for clamping said shank to said ring at opp-(l-Rllc sides 01 said surfaces.

n testimony whereof. the signature of the inventor is atlixed hereto.

ARN OLD PFAU. 

